Author's Note
Last chapter, me introducing Paul as an opposing force is not me hating on Paul. He is my favorite of the main rivals as he was everything that they should have been. Far enough ahead that he's always winning, but not so far ahead that he's out of view. Having him being an opposing force is just an excuse for me to use him more than I have in the past.
"Okay so I'm guessing that is Canalave City up ahead?" Ash asked, looking at the port island.
"Yes, one of my plates fell down there." Arceus said.
"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that plate would be the one for the Steel Type, am I right?" Ash asked.
"Yes, the Iron Plate, how'd you know?" Arceus asked, as Ash flew Charizard around so he could see the giant metallic man attacking the city.
"Ahh, I see." Arceus said.
"Don't worry, we've got this, same as with Palmer, take out his Pokemon until the plate appears." Ash said. "Heracross we need a welcoming party!"
"Magnezone come out!" The metal giant said as a solid silver Magnezone launched out of his body as if it were a liquid. "Use Flash Cannon!"
"Heracross use Brick Break!"
Heracross rushed through the sky above the city as he slammed into the Magnezone, launching it backwards.
"Charizard I need to land!" Ash said. "It's not safe for us to be up here right now! Heracross use Brick Break!"
"Magnezone use Thunderbolt!"
Magnezone launched a Thunderbolt out at Heracross as the bug type spun around, narrowly avoiding the electricity as he came in for another hit.
"Heracross use Horn Attack!"
"Magnezone use Supersonic!"
Magnezone vibrated fiercely, causing Heracross to spin out of control and start crashing to the ground.
"Heracross return!" Ash called out, before the bug type fell into the bay.
"Charizard use Flamethrower!"
"Magnezone use Thunderbolt!"
Charizard rocketed into the air with Pikachu still on his back, unleashing a stream of flames at the Magnezone, causing it to melt away into a puddle of Liquid Metal.
"Skarmory use Rock Tomb!" The man called out.
"Arceus any idea who this is?" Ash asked. "Pikachu use Thunderbolt! Charizard evasive movements!"
"Considering all events and the Pokemon used so far, it is likely a Steel type trainer from the local gym, possibly even the gym leader Byron." Arceus said.
Charizard dove out of the way of the stones as Pikachu sent a bolt of electricity out at the Skarmory.
"Pikachu use Thunderbolt!" Ash called out. "Charizard use Flamethrower!"
"Skarmory use Night Slash!" The man called out.
Electricity and flames combined, pushing through Skarmory's attack and blasting into the metallic bird, causing it to melt just like Magnezone before it.
"Aggron! Steelix!" The man called out, two metallic beasts crawling out from his body just like the ones before them. "Use Ice Fang and Avalanche!"
Charizard dove out of the way, flying back to Ash and Arceus to keep him and Pikachu from taking too much damage.
"It's alright Charizard, Heracross should be all better now, and I think I know who cant hit hard enough to hit Steelix without issue." Ash said, grabbing two Pokeballs.
"Ash, neither of them have the plate." Arceus said.
"I see that, but I need to keep them pushing, and the only way I'll accomplish that is by keeping up the heat." Ash said. "Now Heracross, Kingler, come on out!"
"Aggron use Metal Burst! Steelix use Gyro Ball!"
"Kingler use Crabhammer! Heracross use Brick Break!"
Kingler stopped Steelix's swinging tail with a single claw and relative ease before sending the metal snake tumbling backwards.
"Impressive, by all accounts I had heard you'd retired your Kingler after it sustained serious injuries during the Silver Conference." Arceus admitted.
"I did, but after he was back and healthy we began training him to be able stop even a rampaging Tauros, and then kept moving to bigger and heavier Pokemon." Ash said. "Now Heracross use Brick Break! Kingler use Rock Slide!"
"Steelix use Dragon Breath! Aggron use Stone Edge!"
Heracross flew across the makeshift battlefield, narrowly avoiding the stones before striking Aggron for massive damage while Kingler sent a shower of rocks out from the ground to stop Steelix's attack, nullifying both in a quick action.
"Kingler use Crabhammer! Heracross use Brick Break!"
"Steelic use Ice Fang! Aggron use Earthquake!"
Aggron slammed it's tail onto the ground, launching Steelix and Kingler into the air as Heracross pierced through the metallic pokemon causing it to melt into nothing.
"Steelix use Sandstorm!"
"Gah!" Ash exclaimed, as a storm whipped up around them.
"Be careful Ashton, your Pokemon will continue to take damage while they're out." Arceus said.
"Not quite." Ash said. "Kingler use Rain Dance!"
Rain fell down on the arena, muddying the ground, and stopping the sandstorm quickly.
"Now Kingler use Crabhammer!"
"Steelix use Dragon Breath!"
Kingler scuttled through the blue flames, swinging his pincer into the side of Steelix with an echoing ting before the metallic snake melted away.
"Come on, give us the plate." Ash said quietly watching as the metallic man sputter for a moment.
"Bastiodon come on out!" The man said, as a large metal Pokemon shot out from him, the Iron Plate imbedded into it's skull.
"Heracross use Mega Horn! Kingler use Crabhammer!"
Heracross flew towards the top of Bastiodon, sticking his horn between the Pokemon and the plate and began to pry it off as Kingler began slamming his pincer into Bastiodon's legs.
"Bastiodon use Metal Burst!"
Bastiodon let out a roar, sending both of Ash's Pokemon tumbling backwards.
"Keep it up Heracross use Mega Horn again! Kingler use Ice Beam!
Kingler fired out a beam of freezing energy, the ice crawling up the large Bastiodon, as it began struggling to break free.
"Bastiodon use Rock Slide!"
"Kingler use Crab Hammer! Heracross we need that plate!" Ash called out.
Heracross wedged his horn further in between Bastiodon's mask and the Iron Plate, using his entire strength to pry it free as he and Kingler were pelted by rocks.
"Heracross use Brick Break to give you more leverage! Kingler use Ice Beam!"
Kingler began freezing more of Bastiodon as Heracross finally pushed himself free sending the Iron Plate Flying.
"I've got it." Arceus said, drawing the plate in.
"So that's two plates now." Ash said. "Where are we off to next?"
"Getting a part for another plan." Arceus said, as the giant man began shrinking back down, his body was damaged just like Palmer's was.
"Will it fix them." Ash said rather than asked.
"It will be a way to re trap MissigNo when we find them." Arceus said. "It's the same item I used to hold Giratina centuries ago. We just need three parts for this plan."
"Then let's go." Ash said. "The quicker we can fix things, the better."
Ash's Current Team and Their Moves
Pikachu: Thunderbolt - Quick Attack - Iron Tail - Volt Tackle
Charizard: Flamethrower - Dragon Pulse - Air Slash - Seismic Toss
Sceptile: Leaf Blade - X Scissor - Night Slash - Double Team
Snorlax: Mega Punch - Mega Kick - Focus Punch - Ice Punch
Heracross: Brick Break - Horn Attack - Mega Horn
Kingler: Crabhammer - Rain Dance - Ice Beam
Current plate locations
With Ash and Arceus
Splash
Iron
With Paul
Pixie
Unknown
Draco
Dread
Earth
Fist
Flame
Icicle
Insect
Meadow
Mind
Sky
Spooky
Stone
Toxic
Zap